First the U.S. Postal Service closed neighborhood postal stations; now the Akron and Canton Mail Processing Centers may be in the crosshairs. It could have a devastating impact on Akron's local jobs picture, with more than 400 people employed at the Wolf Ledges Postal Center.

News release - U.S. Postal Service

The U.S. Postal Service plans to conduct a study at several Ohio mail processing facilities to examine the feasibility of consolidating their operations into other mail processing facilities. These Area Mail Processing studies involve a review of the mail processing and transportation operations to determine capacity needs within the postal network in order to increase efficiency and improve productivity.
 
Ohio mail processing facilities to be studied are:

• Akron Processing and Distribution Center (P&DC) for possible consolidation into the Cleveland Processing and Distribution Center (P&DC).
• Athens Customer Service Mail Processing Center (CSMPC) into the Columbus P&DC.
• Canton Processing and Distribution Facility (P&DF) into the Cleveland P&DC.
• Chillicothe CSMPC into the Columbus P&DC.
• Cincinnati P&DC into the Louisville KY P&DC and/or Columbus P&DC and/or the Indianapolis IN P&DC.
  Dayton OH P&DF in the Columbus P&DC.
• Steubenville CSMPC into the Pittsburgh PA P&DC.
• Toledo P&DF into the Michigan Metroplex MI P&DC and/or Columbus P&DC.
• Youngstown P&DF into the Pittsburgh PA P&DC.
   
  The studies, which are expected to be completed in early 2012, come as the Postal Service faces one of the most difficult challenges in its history.
   
  Annual mail volume has declined by more than 43 billion pieces in the past 5 years and is continuing to decline. Total First-Class Mail has dropped 25 percent and single piece First-Class Mail — letters bearing postage stamps — has declined 36 percent in the same timeframe.
   
  Even when the economy fully recovers, the Postal Service does not expect mail volume to return to previous peak levels, and is projecting annual deficits for the foreseeable future. Because the decline has created substantial excess mail processing capacity, the Postal Service is initiating studies to look at reducing the size of its mail processing network nationwide.
   
  If the feasibility study reveals an opportunity to consolidate mail processing operations, the Postal Service will hold a public meeting to explain the proposed operational changes and potential impacts on service, and to solicit public feedback which will then be considered before a final decision is made.
   
  The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations